More Than an Asset
by MadeofLove14
Summary: Connie refuses to seem weak, not in front of her parents, Steven or especially the gem she looks up to the most. Even if it means pushing herself too hard.
1. Chapter 1

"One. Two. Three, and back and slash." Pearl directed, standing by as Connie and Steven sparred.

Pearl really didn't need to instruct Connie vocally anymore, the girl caught on to the subtle movements Pearl made and reacted to them beautifully. The directions were mostly for Steven. It wasn't Steven's first sword practice, but Steven always did better if Pearl was giving him cues. Steven was progressing wonderfully, he did require much more time than Connie, but that was fine. As long as he became proficient in protecting himself, Pearl was fine with that.

Steven was sweating, his tongue stuck out the side of his mouth as he struggled to stop Connie's sword. Connie wouldn't stab him or anything like that - she had accidently whacked him earlier this week and he still couldn't get her to stop apologizing (it hadn't even hurt, his hair was too poofy). Connie wasn't moving as fast as she did with Pearl, but it was fast enough to keep him on his toes. Every now and then he would catch a look at her and falter in his step.

"Steven, keep up now." Pearl instructed, noticing the slight misstep. Steven nodded with a slight grunt and tried to remain focused. But it was hard, because Connie didn't look too good. Her eyes were hard but misty. She had a blush on her cheeks and her forehead was damp.

Maybe that was normal for the average person, but Connie's body had gotten used to her new exercise regime. She hadn't broken out into a sweat in weeks, to see the beads of sweat pour down his friend's face made him worry.

Steven could hear, every now and then, Connie stifle a pained noise. Steven wanted to ask her what was wrong, but she wouldn't slow and whenever he caught her eye, she would look pointedly away or distract him with a strong thrust.

"I think that's good for now. Why don't we call it a day?" Pearl said suddenly, clapping her hands together. "I need to hurry back to the temple, you may continue to practice with one another, but please do be careful."

Steven didn't have to receive Pearl's glare to know that the last part of that sentence is mainly for him, not

With that Pearl gracefully left them. Steven wiped his brow and finally got a good luck at Connie. As soon as Pearl had turned her back to them, Connie had sighed heavily and rested her hands on her knees in a slump. The calm, collected breathing Connie had been maintaining, became quick and harried.

"Connie? Are you alright?" Steven asked, not sure whether to touch her or stay back.

"I-I'm fine Steven. It's just hot is all." Connie panted, dropping down to a squat.

Steven sat up and felt the eerily cool air around them. The Sky Arena was never hot, if anything it maintained a coolness that felt similar to air conditioning. Steven gathered up the courage to place his hand on Connie's tiny back.

"Whoa, Connie you're really hot." Steven yelped.

"Excuse me?" Connie gasped, laughing some when Steven realized what he had just said.

"I-I mean that you k-know that….um…I think I'm gonna stop now." Steven stuttered, his face getting redder and redder. "B-but you really are warm."

Connie sighed and sat up, bunching up her thick hair so that some air might hit her burning neck. "It's nothing, just a little fever-."

"A fever?!" Steven yelled. "Connie what are you doing here if you're sick?"

"I'm not sick, it's simply a fever. It's only a little one." Connie said, stretching before grabbing her water bottle. She sat down on the arena steps and took a long swig. "Besides, I've never missed a session before."

Steven sat down next to her, slurping his juice. It was true. Connie was never late or absent. Pearl admired this very much, constantly praising them both when they were both present and early. Steven knew Connie was very meticulous, kind of like Pearl, but he hadn't realized how far she would go.

"Pearl wouldn't mind if you were gone just once." Steven whispered, looking down at his juice box. "Especially if it was because you aren't feeling well."

Connie shook her head. "I'm fine. I just need to rest for a little while."

Steven sighed, but didn't argue. Connie didn't look as though she needed to argue right now. She looked like she needed some soup and the entire DVD collection of _Under the Knife_. He helped her to the warp pad, ignoring her when she insisted that she was fine. He held her in the warp stream, worried when she closed her eyes and had let herself begin to float upward.

"When do your parents get home?" Steven asked, easily dragging Connie to the couch to sit down.

"They'll be out late. Dad's got a late security gig and Mom's on the night shift for surgical patients." Connie whimpered, grimacing as her stomach ached. She hadn't wanted to worry either of them, so she had done her best to seem healthy before she had left the house. But the warm up Pearl had prepared and the light sparring had made her stomach ache and her head all woozy.

"When my Dad's done at the carwash he'll drive you." Steven said, fluffing a pillow before resting it underneath Connie's damp hair.

Connie sighed. Now Mr. Universe would know she was ill too. There would be no way she could hide this from her parents now. She could barely walk so she would need help to the door. Oh…her parents were going to give her such a lecture. And then what if she got Steven or Mr. Universe or even worse Pearl in trouble?

Connie could hear Steven rustling around to her right. She opened her eyes and tried to rub the blur out of them. She hadn't been able to see straight since this morning. She saw a Steven-colored blob approach her.

"Hey Connie, I was wondering if maybe I could take your temperature?" Steven asked quietly, leaning rather close.

Connie groaned and nodded. She would need to properly gauge her illness if she was to explain this to her mother.

Steven pressed the thermometer into her ear and they both waited for the quiet beep. Steven brought it to his face and Connie watched on curiously.

"What's it say?" Connie asked.

"102.4." Steven said. "That's not good, is it?"

"Nope, it's not the worst, but it's worse than it was this morning." Connie sighed, groaning as she sat up. She wiped her brow and slid her legs off the couch.

"Whoa, were do you think you're going?" Steven asked, his hands hovering around her torso. Steven may not look it, but he was quite capable of keeping Connie down if he thought she was going to hurt herself.

"Bathroom. My stomach."

As soon as Connie said that, Steven offered his hands to help her up. He led her to the bathroom and when Connie was situated, he ran straight to the temple.

* * *

 **A/N:** When you have writer's block for CGA, write random short fics about your favorite characters and hope it ends soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Connie sat on top of the toilet seat crying as quietly as she could.

She had thrown up. She hadn't meant to, but her stomach had just started hurting so bad. It hadn't been too bad earlier, but when she had gotten to Steven's house, Steven had _insisted_ she eat a healthy snack. She had thought it a kind gesture then, but she was totally regretting it now. She didn't like throwing up and she was scared that when Steven came back he wouldn't want to help her anymore.

What if he thought she was disgusting? Or too sick to even be around? As those thoughts swirled around uncomfortably fast in her head, she began to feel sicker. It felt as though her heart was hammering a thousand beats per minute and that she might be sick again. She lowered her head between her knees, struggling to catch her breath.

Suddenly a gentle hand knocked on the door. Connie's head popped up and she moaned as he head pulsed sickeningly.

"Connie?"

That didn't sound like Steven. If Connie hadn't known any better, it sounded a lot like Pearl. As though Steven had gone and gotten Pearl and had asked her to check on Connie. Even though Connie was sweaty, had just thrown up, and was practically the paragon of all of Pearl's human disgusts.

Connie groaned gripping fists of her hair. Pearl, the gem who she idolized, was going to see her like this?

"Connie, are you okay?" Pearl asked, her voice a little stronger.

Maybe if Connie pretended that she wasn't here, then Pearl would just go away. Connie's head felt so woozy that it was better than getting up and opening the door. Better than seeing Pearl's and Steven's disgust, for sure. Connie rested her head on her sweaty hands and decided to wait until Pearl simply went away.

Connie barely heard the click of the doorknob turning and jumped off the side of the bathtub when the door was roughly wrenched off its hinges. Pearl stepped inside the bathroom, door still in hand.

"Connie, are you alright?" Pearl asked, rushing to her side as soon as he eyes laid on her. Pearl's cool hands were like ice on her forehead. Pearl's eyes went blank for a moment and then she sighed.

"Your fever has risen by .2 degrees." Pearl hummed. "Steven take the door and put against the wall please. I'll fix it later."

Connie saw Steven peek his head in, eyes dark with guilt and worry, before quickly grabbing the door from where Pearl had laid it against the sink.

"For now, let's get you to the couch." Pearl said, picking up Connie as though she weighed nothing. Connie froze, trying to touch Pearl as little as possible. She knew how much Pearl was adverse to sweat. She always prepared towels for the both of them after practice and would look momentarily disturbed if Steven touched her before he had wiped off. Connie's vision was blurry so she couldn't tell if Pearl was frowning or not.

"Steven go fetch me a blanket, a towel, a bowl of cool water, and see if we have any ibuprofen." Pearl said, lying Connie down and elevating her head. Connie could hear Steven run off to go get the items that she asked for. For a moment, she was alone with Pearl.

Connie closed her eyes, trying to ignore Pearl with all her might. She didn't want them to see her like this! She didn't even like letting her parents see her like this, let alone her sword master.

"Um…Connie?" Pearl asked, pressing her hand onto Connie's forehead. "How are you feeling? Is your stomach still hurting?"

"No ma'am." Connie whimpered.

"Are you sure? Because I could make you this tea we have - it's a mint blend. It's smells very good and apparently it aides with stomach aches." Pearl said, suddenly shifting Connie's head, when she sat down next to her. Pearl placed Connie's head on her lap.

"M-my stomach feels better." Connie whispered. That was true. It still ached painfully, but she didn't think she'd throw up again (hopefully).

"Oh, there you are Steven. Soak the towel in the water please." Pearl instructed, sitting Connie up. "Now, did you find any ibuprofen?"

"Yeah, but it looks like it expired…like five years ago." Steven said, handing the Pearl the grimy bottle. Pearl read it quickly and sighed.

"I could've sworn I told Amethyst to go pick up some for your headache last week?" Pearl muttered.

"She took me out for ice cream." Steven said. "Amethyst said that worked way better on headaches."

Pearl pinched her nose and sighed, whispering a quiet 'Why do I even bother?' before speaking at full volume. "Steven do you mind going to the store then and picking up some ibuprofen for Connie?"

"I can do that!" Steven said, rushing upstairs to get his cookie-cat wallet. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Thank you." Pearl called after him. They sat in silence for a moment before Pearl pressed her hand against Connie's damp shirt. "I think we need to change your clothes. It isn't good to sit in damp clothing."

"Okay ma'am." Connie mumbled, hazily removing herself from Pearl and wobbling as she tried to stand.

"We'll borrow some of Steven's things. They'll be a little big on you, but you're tall enough." Pearl sat Connie back down on the couch and went to grab the clothes. Connie leaned back against the couch, her head spinning horribly. She couldn't even sit up anymore.

She must look ridiculous. Pearl must be thinking rather poorly of her now. Her student, who was never late or faltered, was now lying listless on the couch. Connie had never before in her life been described as 'lazy', but that must be what Pearl was thinking of her now.

Just a little, lazy human.

Connie stirred from her daze when Pearl tapped her shoulder. Pearl was holding one of Steven's shirts and a pair of his pajama pants.

"Do you think you can stand up?" Pearl asked gently. Connie whimpered when she tried to get herself into position to try. "Never mind. Would it be alright with you if I helped you into the clothes? I have seen human anatomy before - I used to help Steven get dressed when he was little."

For whatever reason that didn't make Connie feel any better. But there wasn't much she could do, she couldn't stand up and Pearl was probably the most objective person (uh…gem?) she had ever met. Connie let Pearl change her though she kept her eyes screwed shut the entire time. When Pearl was finished, she laid Connie back down on her lap.

"Connie?" Pearl asked, her slender, cool fingers combing through Connie's thick hair, reaching down to her scalp and massaging away the growing headache. "Were you feeling this way earlier when we were practicing?"

Connie groaned, resting her hands on her forehead. "Not this bad."

"Connie! You should never practice swordplay if you're not one hundred percent." Pearl gasped and then scolded. "You could've hurt yourself or Steven."

"But I've never been absent before!" Connie insisted, trying to sit up. "I-I've been working really hard and I-I didn't want to disappoint you."

Pearl pushed Connie back onto her lap. "And why would I be disappointed in you? It takes a strong person to admit when they're weak."

"Really?" Connie asked, coughing weakly into her fist. "B-but you're super strong and you're never weal."

"Well, I wasn't always. I, like you, refused to rest when I wasn't feeling my best. I don't know how many times Rose would have to force me to relax." Pearl sighed with a slight blush. "Gems like me were made to be expendable, we weren't taught to care about ourselves. I…realize that I was forcing that mindset on to you - which was entirely inappropriate. I never got to apologize for that."

"You don't really need to." Connie yawned, her eyes half-lidded.

"Oh, but I do. What if you had gotten hurt? You're not a gem. If something had happened to you…" Pearl whispered, lifting the hand she was combing through Connie's hair.

"Nothing bad would've happened." Connie mumbled, clumsily grabbing Pearl's hand and bringing it back to her head. "Steven would have protected me. He always does. We protect each other."

"You really… _trust_ Steven don't you?" Pearl muttered, resuming her gentle caressing with a small smile. She had begun to suspect that Connie and Steven's feelings for one another were blossoming into something more – something beautiful.

"Steven's my biscuit." Connie mumbled sleepily. "He wants to protect me as much as I want to protect him. We'll always have each other's backs."

"I can see that now." Pearl whispered. "Not an asset. So much more. I hope that you two will be happy with one another. When you two procreate and make children like Rose Quartz and Greg did, I will teach them how to swordfight too."

"Yeah and-WAIT WHAT?!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Awkward Pearl happens to be one of my favorite Pearls. Thanks for taking the time to review. This was supposed to be writer's block cure and it didn't work. :(

But it was fun!


	3. Chapter 3

When she gets back home, her mother's heavy glare that had been burning a hole through her forehead and the innocent rearview mirror during the silent car ride home, has evolved into a very stern lecture.

Her mom paces the length of the living room, giving a perfectly medically accurate speech, punctuated with brief fits of angry gasping and sputtering in half-broken Hindi. Even though Connie can hear the anger in her mom's voice, no matter how hard her mom tries she can't hide the tremor of fear there cracking through. Connie's stomach clenches each time her mother's voice grows hoarse and choked up. Connie clenches her fist into balls, willing her breath to calm and her stomach to stop aching.

She hated making her Mom feel like this.

That's why Connie went out of her way to hide things. It was already a very scary world for moms with kids who didn't fit in, who were nerdy and didn't do too well making friends, but then you add magical-sword-fighting/monster-encounters/secret-stuff to the mix and it might as well be the Armageddon of mom fears. Mom could barely even handle her catching a slight sniffle, let alone a stomach bug perpetuated by exhaustion due to all the magic training and stress from school.

One moment Mom is pacing the floor, her arms waving around about with unspeakable mom-rage and in the next, she's squeezing Connie so hard that every tense muscle relaxes in a warm wave.

"We talked about talking." Her mom begins to rock, her hands soft and familiar on her back. All the aches and pains that had been cultivating under her skin and in every joint in her body finally dim.

"I didn't want to worry you. You and Dad are working really hard and with everything that happened-."

"I'm a mom! It's my job to worry about you." Her mother hasn't picked her up since she was a toddler, but suddenly Connie's in her arms again. "At least _this_ is something I can solve."

Dad gets home so late that Mom has already fed her, given her a bath and forcibly tucked her in. Mom had just finished one of her old lullabies when Dad manages to get upstairs. Smelling like coffee and his sharp cologne, his scruff is itchy on her forehead when he kisses her goodnight.

Even after they leave, she can hear their voices in the hallway, low and worried. The lullaby is still in her head and her father's cologne still heavy in the air.

When she finally gives into sleep, she dreams of Pearl dancing to one of her mother's lullaby.

…

Pearl doesn't often worry about humans. Well other than Steven…and maybe Greg because Steven cares about him. Now she has to add another to her list.

Connie, her little protégé and Steven's friend.

Connie's mother had picked her up hours ago; racing to the house at what Pearl can only assume is an illegal speed to make it here in fifteen minutes from the hospital.

Pearl can't stop thinking about how ill she looked. Pearl isn't used to Connie looking weak, even before she had learned to swordfight; she had always held herself with a poise that was determined. In her lap, Connie had seemed so small and feeble. Like Steven when he had been an infant.

Pearl exited the temple quietly, planning on cleaning the bathroom and _not_ watching Steven sleep (but perhaps checking to make sure he was feeling okay and breathing).

It's 2 in the morning so she's a little surprised to find Steven up – well up and not glued to his TV or hiding underneath his covers playing one of his newfangled video games, but instead attempting to push Lion's butt out of the door. He's not making much headway, but he's flushed red with exertion.

"Come on Lion!" Steven grunted. Lion only grumbled, his long tail flicking agitatedly and smacking Steven in the face. "Ow! Lion that's not very nice."

"Steven, what are you doing? You should be asleep." Pearl distastefully grimaced at the massive clumps of pink fur getting caught in the screen door. She already struggles to keep the house mostly devoid of pink fur, but she swears Lion and Steven are purposefully making her job harder.

"Um, j-just trying to get Lion out of the house." Steven stuttered avoiding her eyes. "He was b-being bad again…"

"What's that behind your back?" Pearl shoves Lion out with one hand and slams the door shut before he can turn around and force his way back in.

"Uhh…ummm…well you see I-I got hungry…"

Pearl easily grabs the bag behind his back before he can attempt to escape and peers inside. "Hungry…for cough drops, herbal mint tea, and chicken noodle soup?" Steven looks guilty at her feet, doing his best to look innocent.

"Connie texted me and said she was up." Steven muttered.

"Why is she awake? Sick humans need more rest than the average healthy human." Pearl frowned. "She does know that she's impeding her body's ability to repair itself with staying up so late."

"She's not staying up late on purpose, she did go to bed earlier. But she threw up again and now she can't get back to sleep."

Pearl knew she should have made Connie drink that tea. Humans and their sensitive biological functions.

"And you and Lion were going to go visit her?" Lion is glaring through the screen door, his breath hot on her shoulder as he huffs.

"She feels like she's gonna do it again and she doesn't want to wake up her mom again." Steven drops to his knees, arms wrapped around her legs. "Please Pearl, I'll be right back! Lion runs really fast cause he likes Connie and maybe because I might have promised him Lion Lickers, but-."

"You can go."

"And-and…I can?"

"Yes." Pearl headed to the cupboards, Steven in tow on one of her legs, grabbing a few more things and placing them in his cheeseburger backpack. "You really need to clean this more often."

"Amethyst says everything needs a healthy coat of dust."

" _This_ isn't dust. I don't know what _this_ is, but if I pick this up again and it's still here I'm confiscating it and sanitizing it."

Steven pouts but with a light pat on the head, he's smiling again. "Don't worry I won't be long. Getting up to the window is super easy."

"And how would you know that?" Pearl can't help the smirk on her face. She would have to tell Garnet. Garnet seemed the most amused at Steven and Connie's antics.

"Ha ha, yeah, well I-I just do and I g-gotta go and g-go, ca-cause-please don't tell Dad. He keeps trying to have the 'talk' with me again! The first time was weird enough. We're not doing anything like that I-I promise!"

"I won't tell Greg." Pearl puts his backpack on for him and gently guides him out the door. Lion has abandoned his angry front and is now generously licking his genitalia. "I'm not exactly sure what this 'talk' is, but I'm sure it isn't as unpleasant as you think."

…

"Was your mom mad?" Steven whispered, handing her the small thermos of hot water. The ride to Connie's house had thankfully been a short one. Lion had only needed a gentle encouragement to run like the wind. Connie had been waiting at the window, sweating up a storm despite the cool night air.

"Yeah, well not about getting sick. That can happen to anybody. She was mad about me hiding it from here though. Guess I'm still getting used to the whole talking thing." Connie shrugged, coughing politely into her shirt. "But when I get sick, she spoils me so it was okay."

"Did she say what was wrong with you?" Steven grabbed the tiny ball of mesh containing the mint tea leaves. He dunked it in the thermos and handed Connie a fruity cough drop.

"Stomach flu." Connie mumbled then yawned widely. She stubbornly rubbed her eyes. "No sword fighting or school until my stomach calms down."

"Does that take a long time?" Steven had never met anyone who had caught the stomach flu before. Amethyst got sick all the time, but mostly cause she just ate a bunch of rotten junk that she shouldn't have.

"Well if I rest and stay hydrated hopefully a few days." A slight breeze squeezes through the crack in the window and she can't help but shiver. Steven frowned and tiptoed to her bed and grabbed her favorite blanket and draped it over her shoulders.

"Will your mom be staying with you?" Steven watched the moonlight make Connie's rumpled hair glow and her shiny eyes glitter. He gently swiped a long strand from her face, frowning at the heat radiating from her skin.

"No, well not today. She has to work two more shifts." Connie shrugged, too used to it to really mind. "It's not that bad though. I get to watch TV all day and read all the books I want."

"B-but you'll be all alone?"

"They leave me all the stuff I need. And if it gets too bad I have the neighbor's number, the hospital's number, dad's security agency number and your dad gave me his number too just in case." Steven handed Connie the finished tea, frowning in thought as he plucked at the thick rug they're sat on.

They talk for a little while longer. Connie begins to yawn in earnest, unable to stifle her exhaustion any longer. With a calmed stomach, Steven puts her to bed. He's not the best at cleaning, but he does his best to leave no evidence that he's been here (he shudders to think of what Dr. Maheswaran would do if she ever found out).

He leaves around four in the morning, making sure that Connie is nice and tucked in (he's not sure if she would want a bedtime kiss, so he gives her a bedtime hug instead).

He hops out of the room, quickly jumping on Lion and disappearing into a bright pink portal in a bright flash. Just in time because Dr. Maheswaran checks in only a few minutes after he leaves.

* * *

 **A/N:** Oops, this was supposed to be complete. But first year of college is over and without the oppressive, ancient influence of early American literature looming over my skull, it seems inspiration has been born! Time to start working on all my stories! Thank you guys for all the favs, follows and awesome reviews.

Next chapter...Steven might or might not have told the gems about Connie's situation. Bring on the fluff!


End file.
